Daley names another fed as City Hall inspector general

Ferguson replaces another former assistant U.S. attorney, David Hoffman, who recently left the city to run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in next year’s election.

Ferguson, 49, is originally from Boston but he is a Northwestern University law graduate and has worked in the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago for the last 15 years.

Hoffman had aggressively sought to expand the powers of the office, which is charged with rooting out corruption in city government. Hoffman had called for eliminating restrictions on investigating aldermen and for releasing the office’s reports alleging misdeeds by high-level officials.

But Ferguson would not take such a position at a news conference today in Daley’s office.

“There is no clear answer here,” he said, adding that it would be “irresponsible” to respond.

Hoffman carried out a series of investigations that targeted city workers with close ties to Daley and began an ongoing probe into a real estate investment firm that was owned by a Daley nephew.

Critics said many of his efforts were politically motivated, and they blasted his news conference to criticize the mayor’s privatization of city parking meters as a ploy to attract headlines.

Ferguson said he has never been eager to seek the spotlight in his career as a prosecutor, joking that he has “a face for radio.”

Hoffman praised the choice for his replacement. He worked with Ferguson under U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald before becoming inspector general in 2005, amid a wave of federal corruption charges against Daley aides.

"I know Joe to be a talented and experienced prosecutor who is very independent-minded,” Hoffman said. "I think it's an excellent selection and I'm confident Joe will be a strong inspector general for the citizens of Chicago."

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

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